


Always Meant To Be

by MaoKi23



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghost, Alternate Universe - Never Met, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bittersweet, Friendship/Love, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 22:04:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20454278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaoKi23/pseuds/MaoKi23
Summary: Rin always felt like he was never ever alone, but he chalked that up the his friends and there support.Oen day he finds out just how wrong he was.





	Always Meant To Be

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I switch fandoms like mad but this ship has always been important so hey!!!!

Rin knew he was never really alone. He always had Haru and Mako. Rei and Nagisa. His mother and Gou. 

But sometimes, led awake in the dead of night, staring at his ceiling and praying for sleep to just take him he would feel oddly alert, almost aware of some kind of presence, always lingering just a little out of reach and out of sight. 

He chalked it up to stress, eventually growing used to the oddly comforting presence that would follow him wherever he went. Maybe it was his dad? Or maybe it was nothing, just a tired mind with too much creativity and little restraint. 

So when he took a break from his post practice run, sitting on a bench and pushing his hair back, he nearly fell backwards off the bench when a figure appeared in front of him, eyebrows drawn down in confusion before he heard a sharp laugh. Rin stared, hands fumbling still to get ahold of the metal bench. He wanted to clutch his heart, to yell at the stranger who clearly had no idea what personal space was. But most importantly... 

“The hell are you laughing for?” Was what left his mouth, a bite to his tone that usually caused others to shrink back. The tall stranger in front of him just shrugged, head tilting to the side in an almost playful way. 

“At you. Slipping of a bench, spilling water down your leg. All manner of things really.” The other replied, voice weirdly soothing to Rin. But this wasn’t the time to be admiring the guy, no matter how broad and handsome he was. 

“Right. And can I ask what on earth you want from me?” Rin asked, calmer this time as he stood from the bench, glad when the stranger took a step back, eyes wide. Rin rose an eyebrow, watching the confident and cocky man before him turn shy and almost embarrassed? 

“I... Um. I think you dropped this? Maybe?” Rin looked to the strangers hands and back up, gently taking a bright pink hair clip with a small bunny head on the side. 

“You think I dropped this?” Rin asked, lips quirking up no matter how hard he willed them not to before he laughed, pocketing the hair clip before shaking his head, exchanging a few more words before turning away to head home. 

When he heard footsteps behind him he wondered if the guy was going the same way, wondered how awkward it would be if they had to travel together for the next ten or so minutes after Rin just finished saying his goodbyes. 

Five more minutes passed, continuous footsteps echoing just behind him and Rin was starting to wonder if this was the day that he died. He felt his heart start to race in his ears, trying to remember exactly how fast he was walking, glancing for any quick turns or routes to lead him to safety. 

After a while, fed up of both the nerves and being followed, he spun on his heel, startling the other into a small stumble and Rin waited for the collision. 

It never came. 

Instead, Rin was yet again faced with the gray gravel beneath his feet, the darkening hues of the sky. Until he turned around. 

The stranger was stood perfectly behind him, shoulders hunched forwards in an almost defensive, afraid manner and Rin was honestly starting to wonder if he was sleeping. 

Did that man just phase through him? It would make sense with how fast he appeared earlier, but ghosts? Weren’t you only meant to be haunted by those you knew? _Oh come on Rin, like you believe in Ghosts._

Apart from at the moment, Rin was honestly considering it. He cleared his throat, tapping the strangers back, refusing to notice how much his own hand was shaking. 

No words were exchanged as Rin’s hand met thin air, all but confirming what he never thought to be true. He withdrew his hand as if he had been burnt, stumbling slightly before clutching his heart. 

The boy turned around then, eyes wide and skin pale. Neither spoke as they just stared at the other, the air between them eerily calm. 

“Y-You... You’re a ghost?!” Rin asked, voice a hushed but frantic whisper. The other sighed, posture drooping in defeat. 

“Yeah. Not really what you’d expect, huh?” His voice sounded resigned, shoulders lifting in a gentle shrug as Rin finally managed to steady his breathing before stepping closer, finding that in the wake of the initial shock, all he felt was a calm sensation. 

Something familiar and intimate. 

“Wait. Are you the one who I’ve been... feeling since I was younger?” He asked softly, not wanting to hurt this boy anymore than he clearly had been. The other just smiled. 

“Sousuke.” The other introduced. Sousuke. 

“Rin. Though you... probably already know that.” He mumbled, hand stretching out to try to grasp Sousuke’s before he remembered, instead reaching to rub at his hair. They moved to a different bench, silent for a while before Sousuke spoke up. 

“When I was twelve, I was walking home from a trip with some friends. The train warnings were faulty that day, though I had no idea. I blindly ran across the tracks, barely registering the horn of a train before everything went black. When I woke up I was terrified, looking everywhere for my mum or dad, even more scared when all I saw was an unfamiliar home. That was about eight years ago now. Since then I’ve found I can’t stray too far from you, nor was I ever able to make any contact. So, my apologies for just kind of, following you around.” He finished a little sheepishly, looking away again as Rin took it all in. 

This boy had died as a kid? And instead of being with his family he was with a stranger? He really hoped he’d wake up from this dream soon. 

“I’m.. Really sorry to hear that but... why me?” Rin asked, finally turning to look at Sousuke. The other was staring up at the sky, brokenly sad smile dimming his features. 

“I heard this weird thing when I was younger. That my family are... Blessed and cursed at the same time. We have a connection to somebody and we’ll feel it either once we’re born or they are, depending on the situation. We’ll either live our lives and be drawn closer and closer to that person, until we become a part of each others lives, but for some of us, if we die before we have that first meeting, we’ll spend the rest of their lives watching over them. I always thought it was a myth, something my grand parents said to entertain me. But, the eight years I’ve spent intertwined quietly in your life, I think they may have been telling the truth.” 

Rin couldn’t hold back the tears now. What was previously a gentle push on his chest was now a wave, crashing down on him and forcing any emotion out. Sousuke turned to him in shock at his first outburst, eyes quickly softening as he moved closer to Rin, centimetres apart and yet miles away. 

Rin didn’t even bother to hide his face from the other, instead just let his head hang low. Sousuke was meant to be his soulmate? Somebody who was meant to come into his life no matter what and bring him happiness and love? And Rin was meant to be a person Sousuke was to search for? He’d heard stories of soulmates before, vivid images of Haru and Makoto setting into his brain, but he never imagined that such a bond could exist so strongly, let alone be connected to him. 

It took a while for Rin to calm down, cautious looks from the few passing people on their way home from work enough to get him to quiet himself, since to them he was sat on a park bench alone, bawling like a child. 

“So, all thoses times I felt like somebody was there, somebody was comforting me and watching over me, keeping me safe, it was you?” Rin chanced a glance at Sousuke, seeing the other nod as affirmation before he sighed, hand running through his hair. This was all too much to take.

And then suddenly it hit him like a tonne of bricks. 

_“Come on Rin, if you don’t hurry we’ll miss practice!” _

_“I know! Just give me a second!” Rin called back to his friend, waving them ahead as he dropped to one knee to tie his shoe. He felt the wind blow softly as he stood up, almost crashing into another boy about his age. _

_“Ah, I’m really sorry! Are you okay?” He asked, reaching out a hand in case as the other just smiled, blue eyes crinkled slightly in kind, already moving past him, an echo of an apology all that was left of him. _

Later on that day, Rin had felt his heart constrict in a way he never thought possible, the pain causing him to double over in the pool and clutch onto his chest with both hands, eyes tearing up and before he knew it, the pain was gone as quick as it came. 

“You... Over there... We ran into each other didn’t we? The day you... died?” Rin asked carefully, head nodding towards the bench Rin was sat on before as Sousuke nodded, gentle smile on his lips. 

“Yeah. Which would be why you can see me now. The place where our original paths crossed was revisited, meaning we now have a physical connection. Atleast, I’d assume that’s how it worked.” Sousuke shrugged, gazing softly at the other. Rin felt his cheeks heat up, wondering just how many times Sousuke had seen him upset. Excited, Heart broken. Victorious. Falling Apart. On the road to recovery. 

It was a lot to take in, the knowledge that somebody was put on this earth to love him and only him, only to be ripped away before they could even meet properly. He swallowed back more tears, taking a deep breath. 

“So... Do you think the gods or... whoever put this curse on your family made the right move?” Rin asked, question open and gentle, with a hint of humour to it. Sousuke grinned, tilting his head to the side. 

“I’d say they definitely knew what they were doing when they placed me with you. I’m glad I got to see so much of your life, Rin, even if it wasn’t how I would have preferred it. Already being in love with somebody before you have a chance to talk to them or touch them, it’s hard. But you’re a joy to watch, to observe. I’d often talk or sing to you on your bad days, watch and laugh with you and your friends. Cheer for you whenever you had races.” Sousuke smiled, glancing down at Rin’s hand before gingerly laying his over the top, skin almost touching. Rin looked down too. 

Sousuke was tanned, skin slightly translucent but dark enough to see the distinct contrast to his own pale skin. He turned his hand over, palm facing up, and willed himself to believe he could feel the warmth and weight of Sousuke’s palm in his. 

“Thank you. For looking after me and loving me when I wasn’t even aware you were there. As weird as this is, my heart is fluttering slightly at the thought that I’ve always had somebody by my side who loves me, no matter what and wants to see me happy. I feel like I’ve missed you and only just gotten you back. Strange huh?” He murmured, head tilting to mimic resting on the others shoulder, all nerves and fear washed away by the mere understanding of the others existence and presence beside him. Sousuke hummed in agreement, eyes closing. 

They stayed that ways for a while, quietly talking about things they missed, Sousuke catching Rin up on his favourite moments to be beside him and Rin sharing stories of the times who knew somebody was there, keeping him calm and safe. 

Before they knew it, the sky was turning dark and Rin stood, smiling at Sousuke as they made the walk back to his apartment. 

They spent the night led side by side on Rin’s bed, laughing and talking, poking fun at the other whenever they could and Rin realised that Sousuke really was perfect for him. 

The tears came during the early hours of the morning, when the realisation that they could never touch 

crashed down on Rin. Curled into the others chest as best as he could manage, Rin blamed it on over tiredness. 

Sousuke let him believe it worked. 

Before Rin fell asleep, he asked himself so many questions; of how they could make this work, of how different his life would be knowing that Sousuke was always going to be there. Even found himself briefly thinking that if he died he could atleast hold the others hand. 

“You know, I want you to live your life right? Achieve your dreams, stay happy, meet people.” Sousuke interrupted and Rin startled, looking up at the other boy before smiling softly. 

“I know. And I plan too. But first, I want to learn more about you, make up for the eight years that were stolen from us. Maybe I can track down your family too, see if they have any record of this happening. And if they do maybe I can ask them if the deity that hates them could maybe just... give you back your body, obviously fully grown.” 

“Obviously. Sleep, you’re starting to sound delusional.” Sousuke laughed, a soft and deep sound, making butterflies fly within his stomach. 

“Am not, you’re the delirious one.” Rin yawned, curling up more in the direction of the other. 

He closed his eyes, feeling his breathing slow down and his heart rate relax, one last thought slipping from his lips. 

“Promise me you’ll be here when I wake up?” 

“Of course.”


End file.
